Ultrasound detection device

Abstract

An ultrasound detection device includes a probe and a transceiver. The probe includes first and second transducers, and an amplifier circuit. The first transducer transmits ultrasound. The second transducer includes a first electrode connected to a first wire, and converts the ultrasound into an electrical signal. The amplifier circuit includes first and second transistors. The first transistor includes a third electrode connected to the first wire, a fourth electrode as a gate or a base connected to a second electrode of the second transducer, and a fifth electrode connected to the fourth electrode via a resistor and connected to a second wire via a resistor. The second transistor includes an electrode connected to the first wire, an electrode as a gate or a base connected to the fifth electrode, and an electrode connected to the second wire via a resistor and connected to the second wire via a capacitor.

1 . An ultrasound detection device comprising:
 a probe portion capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasound to and from an object;   a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the probe portion, applying a power supply voltage to the probe portion, and detecting a voltage in accordance with a current signal using an internal resistor;   a first wire electrically connecting the transceiver and the probe portion, and enabling the transceiver to apply a reference potential to the probe portion; and   a second wire electrically connecting the transceiver and the probe portion, and enabling the transceiver to transmit a voltage signal to the probe portion and enabling the probe portion to transmit the current signal to the transceiver, wherein   the probe portion includes:
 a first transducer capable of transmitting ultrasound to the object in response to application of the voltage signal; 
 a second transducer capable of receiving ultrasound from the object, and converting the ultrasound into an electrical signal, the second transducer including a first electrode electrically connected to the first wire and a second electrode; 
 a bidirectional diode connecting the second wire and the first transducer; and 
 an amplifier circuit capable of amplifying a current, and outputting a current signal to the second wire in response to the electrical signal, 
   further wherein the amplifier circuit includes:
 a first transistor including a third electrode connected to the first wire and acting as a source or an emitter, a fourth electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and acting as a gate or a base, and a fifth electrode electrically connected to the fourth electrode via a resistive element and acting as a drain or a collector, the first transistor being in a common source configuration or a common emitter configuration; 
 a first resistive element electrically connecting the fifth electrode and the second wire; 
 a second transistor including a sixth electrode connected to the first wire, a seventh electrode electrically connected to the fifth electrode and acting as a gate or a base, and an eighth electrode, the second transistor being of a different conductivity type from the first transistor and being in a common drain configuration or a common collector configuration, or being of the same conductivity type as the first transistor and being in a common source configuration or a common emitter configuration; 
 a second resistive element electrically connecting the eighth electrode and the second wire; and 
 a first capacitive element connecting the eighth electrode and the second wire. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the bidirectional diode allows the voltage signal to pass and does not allow a signal having a strength less than a threshold to pass from the second wire to the first transducer.   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first capacitive element includes a ninth electrode electrically connected to the eighth electrode and a tenth electrode electrically connected to the second wire.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transistor is of a first conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes a drain or a collector,   the eighth electrode includes a source or an emitter, and   the second transistor includes a transistor of a second conductivity type in the common drain configuration or the common collector configuration.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transistor is of a second conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes a drain or a collector,   the eighth electrode includes a source or an emitter, and   the second transistor includes a transistor of a first conductivity type in the common drain configuration or the common collector configuration.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transistor is of a first conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes a source or an emitter,   the eighth electrode includes a drain or a collector, and   the second transistor includes a transistor of the first conductivity type in the common source configuration or the common emitter configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transistor is of a second conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes a source or an emitter,   the eighth electrode includes a drain or a collector, and   the second transistor includes a transistor of the second conductivity type in the common source configuration or the common emitter configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the third electrode includes the source,   the fourth electrode includes the gate,   the fifth electrode includes the drain,   the first transistor includes a first MOS transistor of the first conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes the drain,   the seventh electrode includes the gate,   the eighth electrode includes the source, and   the second transistor includes a second MOS transistor of the second conductivity type.   
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the third electrode includes the source,   the fourth electrode includes the gate,   the fifth electrode includes the drain,   the first transistor includes a first MOS transistor of the second conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes the drain,   the seventh electrode includes the gate,   the eighth electrode includes the source, and   the second transistor includes a second MOS transistor of the first conductivity type.   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the third electrode includes the source,   the fourth electrode includes the gate,   the fifth electrode includes the drain,   the first transistor includes a first MOS transistor of the first conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes the source,   the seventh electrode includes the gate,   the eighth electrode includes the drain, and   the second transistor includes a second MOS transistor of the first conductivity type.   
     
     
         11 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the third electrode includes the source,   the fourth electrode includes the gate,   the fifth electrode includes the drain,   the first transistor includes a first MOS transistor of the second conductivity type,   the sixth electrode includes the source,   the seventh electrode includes the gate,   the eighth electrode includes the drain, and   the second transistor includes a second MOS transistor of the second conductivity type.   
     
     
         12 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the second MOS transistor includes a back gate electrode electrically connected to the eighth electrode.   
     
     
         13 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transistor includes a bipolar transistor in the common emitter configuration, and   the second transistor includes a bipolar transistor of a different conductivity type from the first transistor in the common collector configuration or a bipolar transistor of the same conductivity type as the first transistor in the common emitter configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the amplifier circuit further includes a third resistive element electrically connecting each of the first resistive element and the second resistive element to the second wire.   
     
     
         15 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the amplifier circuit further includes a second capacitive element,   the first capacitive element includes a ninth electrode connected to the eighth electrode and a tenth electrode connected to the second wire, and   the second capacitive element includes an eleventh electrode electrically connected to the first wire and a twelfth electrode electrically connected to the second wire via the third resistive element.   
     
     
         16 . The ultrasound detection device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the second MOS transistor includes a back gate electrode electrically connected to the eighth electrode.